Online Slots

Slots are wildly popular at casinos all over the world. Land-based casinos and online casinos alike provide pulse-pounding slots entertainment to fans.

History

Slots games are a relatively new addition to the online casino games arena. While the one-armed bandit has been around for over 100 years, the modern-day video slot is new. The very first slot machine was known as the Liberty Bell. It was invented by Charles Fey back in San Francisco in 1895. This machine had 3 spinning reels with heart, spade and diamond symbols painted on each of the reels. Such was the instant success of the slot machine game that it enjoyed worldwide popularity within a short period of time. The original slot machine was built from cast iron, but as time progressed, Bally (the famous slot machine manufacturer) started mass producing these machines. From the 1970s onwards, the slot machine revolution had begun and players across the USA, UK and Australia took to them en masse. Since the advent of the Internet, online slots have become the mainstay of online casinos the world over.

Terminology

Slots terminology covers a vast range of slots-related lingo, games and vocab. Below is a sampling of the most popular slots terminology:

Bet – how much you wager on a slot game

Bonus Feature – these include free spins, wilds, extra jackpots and more

Gamble Feature – the bonus feature where players can wager their winnings by doubling/tripling/quadrupling or even losing their spins

Payline – this is the line where slots symbols line-up and payout

Progressive Jackpot – these jackpots comprise a percentage of all bets placed in the slot machine and continue growing until they have been won

Reels – these are the virtual columns in any slot machine game. Typically, a reel contains multiple random symbols in video slots games online

Scatters – this is a payout symbol in a video slots game which allows wins to be enjoyed without the need for lining up symbols on paylines

Wilds – these are similar to jokers in a deck of cards – they substitute for other symbols with the exception of scatters to form winning combinations

Rules

Depending on the type of slots game that you will be playing, the rules may differ. Generally though, each and every slot machine game is characterized by a bet and the number of lines you wish to play. Once the bet size and number of paylines have been decided, the spin button is pressed. The paytable reveals precisely what the payouts will be when certain combinations of symbols line-up on activated pay lines. The rules vary according to the specific slot game that is being played. A wide range of slots variants is available including 3 reel slots, 5 reel slots, classic slots and 3D slots. Progressive slots games are among the most popular and often payout record breaking jackpots in the range of $1 million or more.

Strategy

It must be borne in mind that slots are games of chance. These types of games are governed by random number generators (RNGs). However, players can still implement basic slots strategy into their game. The most important decision that you will make with slot machines is the choice of the particular machine that you decide to play. Each machine has a specific payout percentage and this needs to be carefully considered before depositing real money. Decide upon your slots budget and do not deviate from it. Play online slots games at casinos offering no deposit bonuses, free spins, slots promotions and other enticements.

Tips

The outcomes of all slot machine games are random – players cannot influence the results of spins in any way

Always seek out slots with the highest payout percentages

When playing progressive jackpot slots, play the maximum wagers that you can afford to bet; the bigger your bets, the bigger your potential winnings

The success or failure of other players around you is irrelevant – focus on your game

Always be on the lookout for slots tournaments – they provide lots of big winning potential